LOLphins: Week 5 vs New York Jets

I'm sorry for having been on a bye month rather than bye week. I won't bore you with excuses or reasons why I have been as inactive as Patrick Turner. I've never meant for this blog to perform as poorly as the real Ted Ginn (pre-Monday night) but it has turned out that way and I apologize. Look for more bad humor in the future and for now I'll leave you with animated .gif's of the winning touchdown celebrations. First, Ronnie Brown appears to be mimicking a real Dolphin. The second is of course Tony Sparano being a badass.



roflbot base images via sun-sentinel.com
.gif's via FinHeaven user TX_Dolfan

Colts vs Dolphins: Preview & Keys

This won't exactly be an in-depth preview, but here are some key points

• Miami should feel a sence of urgency, as the Jets and Bills each have looked impressive in the first two weeks. The Patriots look a bit out of sync but you know they will pick it up. This year it won't be as easy to come back if the team falls two or more games back.
• For a team that prides itself on a balanced attack and ball control offense, I didn't see too much commitment to the run in week one. The team was never down by more than two scores, and time was not an issue, yet Ronnie Brown only got ten carries. Ricky Williams had seven. I'd expect to see ome of the traditional wildcat formation with the unbalanced line to help get some big plays from the running game.
• It will be important for the defense to blitz Peyton Manning and get to him. Take a cue from Rex Ryan's Jets and make the quarterback get rid of the ball before he likes. Make him hit the appropriate check downs and stop them for short gains. If we allow him time for routes to develop and receivers to find the open zones, it could be a long night.
• We must find a way to get Ted Ginn involved. Since we can't throw deep routes, we should use him on the end-around that resulted in two touchdown's last year. I'd also like to see him motion ino the slot from time to time, hopefully creating matchup problems.

Falcons 19, Dolphins 7: Recap

Revisiting the Keys

The offense could not get anything going for a long time. I said Miami should take some shots down the field early, to test the secondary and hopefully open up the field. Except for the one Pat White pass (great play call), they did not. I can't blame them too much though because the offensive line was getting beat and giving up sacks even on intermediate pass plays. Ultimately the problem was not being able to run the ball well early in the game. The line is a better run blocking unit than pass blocking, and it will be imperative for us to win on first down and not set up obvious passing situations.

Defensively, we did very well, particularly with Michael Turner. In fact we did better than I could have imagine with him as he was limited to under three yards a carry and did not break any long runs. Tony Gonzalez however, did make a huge impact. We saw the safeties rotate covering him and for the most part it didn't work. Now a couple times he just made outstanding plays that were indefensible, but I thought on obvious passing downs we could have done a better job of jamming him at the line or perhaps double covering him.

Special Teams didn't factor much in the game. For the most part the Dolphins coverage units were good. The discouraging element of the special teams game was not being able to get any decent kickoff return. I credit Atlanta's superb coverage units but also think the elimination of the three-man wedge plays a big role for a below-average Miami special teams unit.


Random Other Thoughts

• Not the best advertisement for Anthony Fasano who is trying to get a contract extension. The first fumble was tough and somehwat unlucky, but you can't cough it up twice. The second was especially inexcusable
• Our rookie corners will be targeted. Even though Sean Smith had an impressive preseason, Atlanta went after him and if not for some poor throws or drops, could have burned him big. I have confidence in Sean though and he will get another tough test against Peyton Manning next week.
• If not for the Immaculate Deflection in Cincinnati, Greg Camarillo would have NFL play of the week honors for that crazy ricochet, bring ball in with back of legs catch in the first half. It's unfortunate the referees did not call that properly in real time because it should have been a touchdown.
• Back to Pat White, nothing really of note happened today, but I like the potential for the WildPat, Whitecat, Spread Pat White offense. The key just like the Ronnie Brown led wildcat is the offensive line must block and give time for plays to develop and give our talented runners at least a small hole to run through. The pass play by White was a great call and hopefully he can be somewhat accurate on those in the future.

Look Ahead

The schedule doesn't let up, as the Indianapolis Colts come in for a Monday Night Football game.

Miami at Atlanta: Preview & Keys

Sorry for the gross inactivity lately, I've been very busy with work lazy. But the regular season is finally here so you can be expecting plenty of updates.So let's get right to it and discuss this week's keys to the games


Offense

Atlanta's defense and in particular their secondary did not show well in the preseason. The question is, will the Dolphins take some chances and try to exploit that weakness in the deep passing game, or will they stick to their philosophy and focus on running the ball and the short and intermediate passing attack? I think it's important they take some shots deep early and hopefully complete a couple to help open up the entire field for the rest of the game. We saw last year when opponents could put eight in the box, especially for the wildcat formation plays, we had a difficult time running the ball and moving the chains. This offense needs to make the proper progression this year and be able to defeat that defense, hopefully by preemptively showing the willingness to throw deep. I know Chad Pennington can't chuck it that far, but offensive coordinator Dan Henning must find a way to get some favorable matchups in the secondary and try to let our receivers make plays.

Defense

Michael Turner is going to rush the ball well and he will get good yardage and possibly some touchdowns, but we can't let ourselves get continually gashed by the running game. It is important that the front seven finds a way to get some big wins on first down by getting tackles for a loss and setting up second and third and longs. That way they can blitz stud quarterback Matt Ryan and hopefully get the ball out of his hands early and let our secondary make plays. They are improved, but we can't ask them to cover for more than a few seconds. The obvious focus in the passing game will be tight end Tony Gonzalez. We must find him on third downs and blanket him. Nothing is more frustrating for a defense than to give up third down conversions and Gonzalez is always a factor on those and also in the red zone. I actually think a good ploy would be to put rookie cornerback Sean Smith on him at times to see if that's a good matchup. Smith has shown terrific in the preseason and has earned the opportunity.

Special Teams & Intangibles

Last year Miami's coverage units were not good. This preseason did nothing to make anyone think they'll be better. It is imperative that they not gift away points by allowing long returns or making other mistakes in the special teams game. Easier said than done. Also, Atlanta was very good at home in 2008 going 7-1. The dome provides a lot of crowd noise and for the first game of the season after an 11-5, eight win improvement, we can expect the place to be rocking. Miami didn't have a problem with penalties last year but we might see some false starts today.


Final Thoughts

I love the unpredictability of week one. I can envision us picking up right where the 2008 regular season left off and scoring a win, but also I wouldn't be surprised if we struggled and Atlanta controlled the game. For that reason I will make no prediction and just hope for a Dolphins victory.

The Lex Hilliard Conundrum

There has been a lot of chatter in the South Florida media and message boards about running back Lex Hilliard. He has shown very well in the first two preseason games and definitely looks like an NFL player. The problem is that he is caught in a numbers game. Only 53 players will make the active roster, and more importantly only three RB are assured to be a part of that 53. With Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and Coach's favorite player Patrick Cobbs in front of Hilliard, it would seem he is an odd man out.

However, many have voiced the opinion that we should keep Hilliard and find a way to keep him on the roster. Some believe it's as simple as keeping the four backs. Some have raised the question of if the team should try to trade Ricky Williams or Patrick Cobbs to make room. Some have suggested just trading Hilliard. I thought it would be good idea to look at each scenario and voice my opinion.

Practice Squad: Like last year, he could be stashed on the practice squad. This is probably not a real option though because any team can swoop in and pick him up so long as they add him to their active roster. With Hilliard's display in the preseason (including two special teams tackles) there is not much doubt in my mind that a bad team void of much talent will grab him (Lions).

Trade: I don't foresee any type of trade with any of the backs for a variety of reasons. First of all, you don't see many RB traded because of the belief you can pick one up anywhere. A number of backs emerge each year and many come with little hype. A lot of low round picks and undrafted guys can get the job done. Because of this, all of our backs value to this team greatly exceeds their value in a trade.

Keep Four RB: It's going to happen. First Jim Mandich said on his radio show that he has shown well enough that the team will find a way, and they won't just let loose someone who they perceive as a great football player. This morning Ethan Skolnick wrote in his blog that he is close to a lock to make the team and offensive coordinator Dan Henning is trying to devise ways to use him.

For those of you that believe there is no way that a Bill Parcells team would waste roster spots on fourth running backs, I got news for you. He has done it, as recently as last year. We had a similar problem last year with Jalen Parmele. Eventually he did make the team and lasted three weeks. We then added tight end Joey Haynos and Parmele was waived. But that at least proves Lex has a good chance and the idea of keeping four backs isn't too foreign.

One reason I feel this would be good is because running back is one of the most often injured positions in the NFL. I'm not just talking season ending injuries, a lot times guys will get nicked up and have to sit out a week or two. Yes, we could bring in a back from anywhere, but they won't have the knowledge of the playbook and experience with the team that Hilliard offers. He also has shown enough that he at least raises the question about how bright a future he has. What could he do in a regular season game if he was given 10-15 carries? I'd rather find out with him wearing a Dolphins uniform and nothing else.

(image via daylife.com)

Roster Trimming

A bit unexpected today, there was a flurry of moves by the Dolphins. Even though the first mandated roster cut (from 80 to 75 players) isn't until next Monday, the team did their business today, and then some.

The first news to break was that Miami has released Ernest Wilford. The only surprising thing about this move was the timing. A while back, I didn't expect Wilford to make it to camp, but when he did, I figured he'd be one of the last guys cut. To be honest, he's showed some promise in his position switch to tight end. The problem his, he is battling for the third TE job, and to do that, you need to play some special teams. Ernest does not and therefore Joey Haynos and John Nalbone offer a bit more.

The major aftereffect of this move is the salary cap hit. Armando Salguero of the Herald reports that because of some rule changes because of a possible uncapped year in the NFL in 2010, the Dolphins must absorb the rest of his signing bonus (which amounts to about $4.5 million) this year. That sounds bad on the surface, but I don't think we are in cap trouble this year and maybe it's better to get that money out of the way and not have it linger. The main thing it does is perhaps protect guys like Jason Allen, who if cut would pose more cap trouble.

Later, word got out that also cut were Anthony Kimble, Orion Martin, Joe Cohen, Tearrius George, and Chris Williams. None of those are surprising as these guys were longshots and haven't done much of note. Williams was actually injured on that muffed punt off his face and he is now on the waived/injured list. Once he clears waivers, he will likely get a small injury settlement and get on his way.

The last movement was a trade involving offensive linemen Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe. They are headed to Kansas City and in return we get a 2010 draft pick (most likely a 5th or 6th round choice). This did surprise me a bit, since they both figured to be in the mix for the reserve offensive linemen spots. This makes me believe that the team is fully confident in Donald Thomas' health and abilities, and that Shawn Murphy is ready to fill in if needed.

Game Recap: Carolina Panthers, Sat Aug 22nd

As promised, here are my thoughts on the three main things I was watching, as described in my preview. I've also included a couple tweets from last night.

Quarterbacks: It was an above average night for the signal callers and the most important thing is that they didn't turn the ball over. They did chip in two nice touchdown passes though. Chad Pennington showed why he is most certainly the present as he methodically moved the ball and led the offense to 10 points in his three drives. Chad Henne also looked pretty good. He was at the helm for 17 2nd half points, although he didn't get the ball down the field as much. We didn't see much of Pat White, but in his one drive his passes could have been a bit more accurate and lead to larger gains. Again, he showed more promise running the ball, even though it wasn't from the wildcat formation.

Cornerbacks: It was a big night for Vontae Davis as he was trying to bounce back from a shaky opener. He played a lot of the game due to the absences of Sean Smith and Jason Allen and did very well. He showed his excellence in run support and stopping short pass plays. I didn't notice him much in coverage, which is usually a good thing. None of the three fringe players really stood out to me, in fact Joey Thomas made an impression on the wrong side as several passes were completed in his direction.

8:46 PM: I'm glad I wasn't buying the hype with Chris Wiliams, he makes a lot of mistakes.

Special Teams: A muffed punt for a second consecutive game and this one was costly, as it allowed Carolina to take the lead before the half. He also hasn't flashed as much brilliance as people seem to think. Simply put, he's probably already done enough in the wrong direction to seal his ticket out of here. If Ted Ginn had done what Williams has in the last two games, people would be calling him the worst player ever, but because he is an undrafted player, the fans will always love his potential. Neither kicker flinched in the kicking battle, although both players kickoffs could be better. Carpenter does have the slightly stronger leg, so I imagine he will retain his job.

8:42 PM: How are fumble recoveries not reviewable? That was CLEARY Dolphins football!

This was just strange, but if it was a real game it would have been infuriating. A Panthers punt returner fumbles the ball and a pile ensues. The player who comes out of the pile with the ball is a Dolphin. Ball awarded to Carolina. Okay, let's see a replay. Replay clearly shows the Dolphin player possess the ball on the ground and be touched down before the pile ensues. Okay, we will challenge and get the call right. What's that? You can't challenge fumble recoveries? The competition committee will have to look at that one, because it was pretty clear and obvious that the call was wrong and could have easily been fixed. That's why we have replay, right?

Preseason: Game Two

Tonight the Dolphins take on the Panthers here in rainy Miami for their second of four preseason games. Last game, I said I wouldn't update much via Twitter. Well, I ended up posting ten times (not including @ replies) and it was mostly failed humor attempts. But as @Tomas_Verde pointed out, the great thing about failed humor is that it's humorous in its failure. And he should know, as he is the author of 4th and Fail (surprisingly not a Dave Wannstedt blog). So tonight you can expect more awkward exclamations and bad humor attempts courtesy of @tedhill. If you don't want to leave this page, I placed a widget on the side of this page that should pick up all of my messages tonight.

But, I will at least try to expand upon it. Last game, partly because I was busy, but mainly because I was lazy, I didn't have any sort of game recap or thoughts. After this game, for the recap, I will revisit some of my posts and expand upon them. For now, here is a short little preview.

Three Main Things I Am Watching Tonight

First, the focus always seems to be on the quarterbacks in preseason games and though none of Miami's signal callers had bad performances on Monday, they didn't offer definitive answers to questions surrounding them. Fans want to know if Chad Pennington can duplicate his 2008 success and perhaps improve. Will Chad Henne stamp his name as the surefire 2010 starter? Can Pat White offer an immediate impact as spread/wildcat quarterback? Hopefully we will see more tonight from each of those three and make an already great QB situation even better.

Also, the cornerbacks should be an interesting watch tonight. Supposed starter Sean Smith and Jason Allen will absent due to illness. After the cutting of Eric Green, that only leaves five corners. Three of them figure to be battling for the last spot on our roster, so they should get a long look and will have a great opportunity to showcase themselves, good or bad.

Finally, I will pay a lot of attention to special teams, for several reasons. First, it was a sore spot for the team last year, and much improvement is needed on the coverage teams. Also, there has been a lot of hype about Chris Williams this week, and I think it is mainly unwarranted. Yes, he did have a couple nice returns, but he still committed three cardinal sins last week (muff, field one inside the 10-yard line, get tackled by a kicker). I have nothing against him, I would like to see him do well, but let's see how he does in game two. Lastly, there seems to still be a kicking battle between Dan Carpenter and Connor Barth. Apparently in practice neither has flinched and it has been neck and neck. Any miss in a game could prove very costly.

Training Camp: News & Notes Vol. 1

Three days and five practices in, there have been a number of newsworthy bits from the Dolphins training camp.

Matt Roth

Roth did not pass conditioning tests and told the team he was ill. His agent Drew Rosenhaus says he has a groin strain (again). All this has made for quite the frantic search for info between the media and the team. For now he has been sent for tests on the groin and has not participated in practice. Roth was a key last year at the OLB spot. Sure, he isn't the best at rushing the passer or dropping into coverage, but he did a great job against the run and was sound in the other areas, and contributed to a good linebacking corps. His absence might be okay for now though. It should create more opportunities to see Jason Taylor, Cameron Wake, and others though try to provide more clarity to how the OLB rotation should work. Hopefully Matt will be back soon though, we need him.

Twitter

There was a buzz day one when the team told the credentialed media and fans they were not allowed to post live updates via Twitter during the practices. There was a mini-outrage that played out on Twitter from fans and media about how bogus that is. I actually understand where the team is coming from though, and would tend to agree with their line of thinking. Hey, they don't really have to let anyone (including media) witness these practices. They can enact and enforce any rules they so choose. The real problem is there is not much they can do. It is impossible to enforce, especially amongst fans. They probably would have been better served just accepting the fact that tweets will be sent and asking the media and fans to be very discretionary about what they post.

Also, Ethan says the Dolphins have banned Twitter use by players. Since then though, @SeanSmith4 has still been active. My guess is that perhaps Ethan misunderstood, and the team has only banned Twitter use during any team activities. Either that or the rook will be getting a fine soon.

Big Crowd

The first day of camp saw a huge crowd in Davie. The bleachers that hold around 2,000 fans were completely filled and there was another 1,000 or so that showed up and lined the fences or the parking structure as you can see in the photo, courtesy of Sun Sentinel. The team likes the support and they've asked for another huge crowd for Saturday's 2:00pm scrimmage. I may go.

Training Camp: Welcome to 2009

Hey, Training Camp is here! It's been a long few months since the draft ended but now it is finally time to begin preparation for the new season. Now when it comes to training camp, I'd give you wall to wall coverage, but I can't. I don't go to practices or anything. I read the same reports from the real media that you do. Because of that, I'll just try to jump on every few days and give my take on any major developments.

As for recommended coverage, the Sun-Sentinel is the best, in my opinion. Follow their Dolphins blog. Follow reporters Omar Kelly, Mike Berardino, and Ethan Skolnick on Twitter¹ as well. Also, for up to the date roster moves and analysis, Chris Nelson's Phins Spotlight is great. Lastly, every Miami Dolphins fan MUST be reading Fins Nation, no explanation needed.

I also have a couple of non-training camp pieces I have been working on, such as deconstructing the arguments as to why the Dolphins will not match their success of 2008, and a large Season Preview series. Those shall be posted periodically throughout camp and preseason. As for in-season coverage, expect a lot more. I'll have better game previews and recaps along with more analysis on major Dolphins developments throughout the season, and of course in depth thoughts on the polarizing figure that is Ted Ginn.

¹In case you didn't know, you can follow me on Twitter as well. You'll see a lot of Florida Marlins thoughts in there because I also co-author a Marlins blog. But, once football season rolls around, expect that to be mainly mindless Dolphins ramblings.

Miami Signs Backup Long Snapper

I kid, I kid. By now you have probably read/heard that Jason Taylor has signed and will return to the Dolphins after a one year absence. The JT robot remains a free agent and his said to be very unhappy with the lack of offers It is believed that Jason will earn a $1.1 million base with $400,000 more available through incentives. His role on the team surely won't be a backup long snapper as I facetiously stated in the headline. I imagine he will be part of a solid rotation at OLB, and may also play DE in 4-3 nickel or dime packages on third downs. Who knows, he may even play on some special teams units. That's all I think we need to know for now. There is no need to over analyze this and try to figure out exactly how he will be used. I don't even think the team knows that, or they would have signed him a while ago. Instead let's take a look at the trade from last year that sent him to Washington.

Dolphins Received

• A 2nd round pick in 2009, #44 overall, used to select QB Pat White
• A 6th round pick in 2010, still to be used
• A good chunk of cap room for the remaining years left on Taylor's deal (2008-09). I believe he was due at least $8 million in both years
  

Dolphins Lost

• One injury filled, unproductive season of Jason Taylor, in which the Dolphins made the playoffs anyway. Something that did not happen in Taylor's previous five seasons with Miami.
  

Thank you Daniel Snyder.

2006 Draft Revisited

Since everyone is giving out draft grades I thought it would be fun to join the party. Only, I won't be foolishly grading this year's draft. I'll take a look at the 2006 draft, now that three years has passed and that seems like ample time to get a reasonable grade. The 2006 draft for the Dolphins can be summed up rather quickly.

Worst. Draft. Ever.

1st Round, #16 Overall: Jason Allen, CB

He entered as a hybrid CB/S who was thought of as a gifted athlete. Well, it turns out his NFL career has resembled this classic youtube. In his rookie year, he bounced from corner to safety often and never found a role. He struggled for playing time and didn't make a good first impression. In his second year, the 1-15 disaster, it took injuries to five different safeties before he got a start. He had one good game against Philadelphia, but was still underwhelming. Last year he saw some more consistent playing time, but only in nickel and dime packages. All the while he has played some special teams but even in that regard, I recall more mistakes than anything.

This is a classic first round bust. First rounders should be consistent starters and contributors and perhaps even pushing for pro bowls. Worse than the fact he hasn't panned out is actually the money he has received and may continue to get. He got a six year deal (final year is voidable) with $8 million in guarantees. I'm no salary cap expert but I'm pretty sure even if he is cut this instant, he'd still have an effect on this and next year's cap number. The contract has probably been the biggest reason he has stuck around, and that's never good. I'd say with the three new corners and two new safeties, his days are numbered.

Notable DB still on the board: Antonio Cromartie, Kelly Jennings

2nd Round: Traded to Minnesota for Daunte Culpepper

We all know how that turned out. This was yet another wasted trading of a high draft pick.

3rd Round, #82 Overall: Derek Hagan

Derek Hagan set records at Arizona St. and in the Pac 10, most of which have been ecplipsed, but his draft stock fell after the Senior Bowl and combine. The Dolphins grabbed him because we needed receiver help and he was expected to be a contributor. But, poor Hagan had the drops in his first year and was never able to climb the depth chart and make an impact. 2007 brought a better opportunity with a coaching change and the trades of Wes Welker and later Chris Chambers. Still though, production was at a minimum. The third year is usually when it clicks for receivers but Hagan never got it going in 2008 and was lost amongst a below-avergage corps of pass catchers. He was released mid season.

I'm not sure third round picks can be busts, but this is pretty close. He was in the top 100 after all and the sixth receiver taken. Plus, it's not like he was stuck behind solid veterans and pro bowlers. Miami's receiving corps were awful in his years here and he still couldn't crack the starting lineup, save for one game. My final verdict is a definite miss and a mini-bust.

Notable WR still on the board include Brandon Marshall and Domenick Hixon

4th Round, # Overall: Joe Toledo, OL

A mid round picked was used here on an offensive tackle, but he started out playing some guard. Injuries plagued Joe however and he spent a good time on the PUP list. He was released following the 2007 season. This pick was a swing and a miss.

5th Round: Pick forfeited due to use in 2005 Supplemental Draft

We lost this pick due to the selection of the infamous Manuel Wright in the previous year's supplemental draft. You may remember Manny as being out of shape and crying after a Nick Saban verbal lashing. Predictably, he barely played and was released shortly after the Cam Cameron experience started. Another miss here.

7th Round, #212 Overall: Fred Evans, DT

He made the team but was mostly inactive. In the following season he was arrested for an off field incident and released shortly after. Miss.

7th Round, #226 Overall, Rodrique Wright, DT

Amazingly, this has been the best pick of this draft (which is not saying much). He fell in the draft because he had a bad rotator cuff and he missed all of 2006. He did make the 2007 Cam Cameron Dolphins and had a handful of starts. In 2008 he has survived but only as an inactive player. His prospects are similar for 2009 and he once again must fight to make the team. I guess this pick was a mini-hit. Seventh rounders usually don't make the team but he has survived, for now.

7th Round, #233 Overall, Devin Aromashodu, WR

Miami took a small gamble on a local kid and it didn't work out. Devin did not make the team in 2006. Miss.

Final Thoughts

I don't think much more explanation is needed for how awful this draft was. Only one tiny tick mark in the win column and huge amount on the other side. No gems were found, not even a consistent or fringe starter in the NFL. This is one of a several drafts this decade that set back the development of this team and was the major contributor towards the downfall of the franchise. This most definitely deserves and has earned an F-.

2009 Dolphins Draft Picks & Thoughts

1st Round, #25 Overall: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
As the first couple hours of the draft went on, I was really liking how things were shaping up. A couple teams made some reaches and when it was the Dolphins turn to pick, there was plenty of great options. I personally thought LB Rey Maualuga would be the pick because it just seemed a perfect fit for Parcells, but the brain trust decided to take someone who some considered a top ten talent and fit our greatest need. I have absolutely no problem with that. I thought Vontae Davis would be gone before #25 and because of that, hadn't thought much about him or if he would be a good fit. Most believe he is. He is a bigger corner who is physical, which not only fits the Parcells philosophy, but is needed in our division with so many great big physical receivers to tame.

The only concern that is popping up is character. I would understand why fans would be worried and confused as to why Parcells, who stresses character so much, would draft someone of even remotely questionable character. Well, this reminds me a bit about what the 'Canes used to do and what the Patriots still do. Once you create a good locker room filled with great character guys, you can take a chance on one or two questionable players because most likely, the good people will keep them in line. We also have hard ass coaches and Parcells himself to make sure he isn't too full of himself.

2nd Round, #44 Overall: Pat White, QB, West Virginia
Leading up to this pick, the name I was really hoping to keep falling was Everette Brown. He is a great pass rusher who I saw a lot as he is from Florida St. But, the Panthers snatched him up. Just before the selection was made, on the bottom of ESPN's screen was Mel Kiper's best available and I saw Pat White's name at six or eight and I thought, "Hmm, that'd be an interesting pick." And sure enough, it happened. I can't tell you how unexpectedly excited I was when I saw his name as the current selection. I did think some in the lead up to the draft about the possibility of having Pat and what he can bring to the wildcat, but once it was announced, the joy of imagining the possibilities multiplied by a factor of at least three.

It shows the team is committed to the wildcat formation. It shows they will stay creative in trying to move the ball and score points. The fact that the pick was high also suggests they were very intent on getting him, not just hoping it would work out. David Lee and Dan Henning have the best new toy they could have hoped for on draft day. On wildcat plays he can either receive the snap and be a true run-pass threat, or he can replace Pennington as the wideout and have to be accounted for as a run-receiving threat. And that's just scratching the surface. Remember last year the wildcat was built in a week and kept expanding. Now the coaching staff has an entire offseason and training camp to come up with stuff that can work and keep defenses on it's heels. Last year, wildcat plays were runs about 90% of the time. A big battle in improving the formation so it sticks around, is balancing the run-pass ratio. Pat White does that.

Also, don't put it past Pat White to be a starting quarterback at some point. He is the prototypical, won't take no for an answer, hard working winner. Mike Mayock (who is the best draft expert I'd say) loves him and was surprised by his arm strength and his accuracy.

2nd Round, #61 Overall: Sean Smith, CB, Utah
Miami traded down five spots here at the end of day one and ended up with it's best pick. Sean Smith is physical and even bigger than Vontae Davis at the cornerback spot. I heard multiple places before the draft saying we might take him with our first pick. Instead he's there in round two, and the trade with Indy netted us another fifth round choice of this year. I love the decision to take two corners in day one. Even the best of organizations don't hit on all their picks and this gives us a better chance at finding one great corner. If they both stick, then great, we have a corner tandem that may rival the Surtain-Madison duo we once had. Personally, I think Smith might wind up as the best pro from this draft class for us. I only saw him play a handful of times but was always impressed, especially in his final collegiate game, shutting down Julio Jones of Alabama (who could play in the NFL right now). He, like Davis, gives us a guy who when the ball is in the air, regardless of how good the coverage was, you feel will win the battle for the ball against the receiver. This was our biggest problem in the secondary. We could actually cover well, but that doesn't mean a damn thing if you let a receiver fight and win the ball anyways.

3rd Round, #87 Overall: Patrick Turner, WR, USC
This pick elicited many "WTF?!?" comments on Twitter and the message boards. Going receiver wasn't the issue, it was the certain receiver who was picked. Turner underachieved at USC, before turning in a good final year. Still he was a bit of a disappointment there as he was the top rated WR in the country coming out of high school. A peek at the experts big boards and position rankings says that there were better receivers out there and this was a reach. That's probably all true, but perhaps Patrick is the best fit for us. Again, it's a big physical player (notice a theme) and he provides a different skill set then our current corps of pass catchers. Our roster is loaded with smaller guys who do well in the slot and running short routes. Patrick Turner is probably going to attempt to be everything that Ernest Wilford wasn't. Sure he doesn't have great speed, but if he can run crisp routes and get a little bit of separation, you'll like his chances in an airial battle. Particularly, the Dolphins desparately need someone who is competent in the fade route. It takes more the height. It's about positioning and is a lot like grabbing a rebound in basketball. Hopefully he can provide this and other aspects at the the receiver position.

4th Round, #108 Overall: Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio St.
Again, this had many scratching their heads. I had a feeling they would double up on a position again, like they did with corners, but I didn't expect Hartline. He seems like one of those guys. He will never wow you or put up big numbers but he seems to always remind you that he's there. I know Michigan fans can attest to that. Plus, I know as much as I hate Ohio St., they have put plenty of receivers into the NFL and they have a good success rate. His calling card may be special teams as he apparently loves cracking guys on coverage units. To me this just seems very Parcells-like.

5th Round, #161 Overall: John Nalbone, TE, Monmouth
I was like 99% of the world, I have not heard of this guy. I know nothing about him. Picking a tight end though is probably smart because Anthony Fasano and David Martin are in the last year of their contract. It might also help if he can work in the H-back role and perhaps even fullback too. We'll see, this is a project.

5th Round, #165 Overall: Chris Clemons, FS, Clemson
More secondary help. He stands a good shot at making it because we don't have much depth at safety. He won't beat out the starters but as a late round pick if you can show promise and contribute on special teams then you will stick around.

6th Round, #181 Overall: Andrew Gardner, OT, Georgia Tech
Finally, a position in the trenches, a Parcells favorite has been taken. You can never have too much depth at offensive line. He was a great value as a shoulder injury probably cause his stock to fall.

7th Round, #214 Overall: J.D. Folsom, LB, Weber St.
Another small schools guy, another project, wait and see.

Things This Draft Has Taught Me

• The team likes it's pass rushing situation. There were plenty of good prospects for edge rushers in the 3-4 and the fact we didn't take one shows good faith in CFL import Cameron Wake or perhaps also an imminent signing of Jason Taylor. I've been a bit reserved about bringing JT back, but for a small money deal and him not being an every down player, it may be a good fit.
• Once again, Parcells and Co. have opted for off the radar receivers and hope they have something to prove, rather than using high draft picks or trades to acquire big name prima donnas who act bigger than the team. There were big names to get via trade or the first two rounds, but the team waited and hopefully these guys prove something because they certainly have a good shot.
• Fans are tough. Around the Web 2.0 I saw some harsh critics of the Dolphins' draft calling it horrible and predicting the team will be right back to it's losing ways. I'm not saying you have to love our draft, but doesn't a front office who instantly turns the 1-15 laughing stock into an 11-5 playoff team deserve a benefit of the doubt?
• John Beck is done as a Dolphin. I had high promise for Beck and I think he can still find his ways, but change of scenery is needed and soon will be granted. Good luck John, sorry you had to be drafted by Cam Cameron.
  

Draft Day

Well, it's here. It is NFL Draft Day. The party actually got started last night as you may well have heard by now, Matthew Stafford agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions and he is "The One." He gets nearly $42 million in guaranteed money and the full value of the six-year contract could reach $78 million after incentives. Here's a hint, it won't.

Anyway, it will be a strange draft day for me for two reasons. One, there will be no Miami Hurricanes drafted in the first round, day, and possibly entire draft. Usually, wondering where all the 'Canes would end up would keep me interested enough to watch 99% of the draft, but this year all I really get to care about are the Dolphins picks. This leads me to reason number two, Miami isn't picking in the top half of round one. That combined with the fact the draft now starts at 4:00 PM means there won't be much to wake me from a nap.

As for who I think the Dolphins should/will pick? Wide receiver and cornerback are obviously the two biggest needs but there's reason to believe they won't take either position in round one. Parcells doesn't like to draft receivers high (so no Percy Harvin, get it?), he believes you can get them anywhere. Plucking Davone Bess last year from the undrafted free agents probably furthers this belief. As for corners, I don't feel there is a big gap between players you can get in round one and players available in rounds three or four.

The USC linebacking troika are all potential picks. I really like Rey Maualuga, who is a beast from the ILB spo. But he seems the least likely to become a Dolphin because he will go earlier (Please move up and get him). Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing are possibilities but I'm not too keen on them. Both remind me of Channing Crowder (solid, but not many superlatives). We already have a Channing.

The last little category of guys who could be taken are the hybrid DE/OLB pass rushers. I'd love Everette Brown from FSU, but he'll be gone (Wouldn't mind moving up for him either). All the other names I've heard (Clint Sintim, Larry English, Aaron Maybin, Robert Ayers) seem good but may be a bit of a reach at #25. We maybe should gamble and hope one of them lasts to #44.

I'll have updates throughout the afternoon/evening depending on how the draft shakes out and maybe a post as soon as we acquire players.

2009 Miami Dolphins Schedule and Thoughts

Week	H/A	Opponent	Date	Time	TV
1	at	Atlanta Falcons	Sep. 13th	1:00 PM	CBS
2		Indianapolis Colts	Sep. 21st	8:30 PM	ESPN
3	at	San Diego Chargers	Sep. 27th	4:15 PM	CBS
4		Buffalo Bills	Oct. 4th	4:05 PM	CBS
5		New York Jets	Oct. 11th	8:30 PM	ESPN
6		Bye Week
7		New Orleans Saints	Oct. 25th	4:15 PM	FOX
8	at	New York Jets	Nov. 1st	1:00 PM	CBS
9	at	New England Patriots	Nov. 8th	1:00 PM	CBS
10		Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Nov. 15th	1:00 PM	FOX
11	at	Carolina Panthers	Nov. 19th	8:20 PM	NFLN
12	at	Buffalo Bills	Nov. 29th	1:00 PM	CBS
13		New England Patriots	Dec. 6th	8:20 PM	NBC
14	at	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dec. 13th	1:00 PM	CBS
15	at	Tennessee Titans	Dec. 20th	1:00 PM	CBS
16		Houston Texans	Dec. 27th	1:00 PM	CBS
17		Pittsburgh Steelers	Jan. 3rd	1:00 PM	CBS

Prime Time Games

Miami was given much more respect than I thought as they are scheduled for four national telecasts this year. There are two early season games on Monday Night Football on ESPN, a tough Thursday nighter at Carolina in November on the NFL Network (Good luck Comcast subscribers!) and probably the most intriguing game on the slate, an early December home affair with the Patriots on NBC's Sunday Night Football.

No Weather Concerns

The first thing a lot of Dolphins fans want to know is the prospects for cold and bad weather games late in the year. Last year Miami had to travel to frigid Kansas City and New York to close the year and remarkably reversed the trend. This year it would seem much easier. The only road games in December are early in the month and in southern cities Jacksonville and Nashville. The late November game in Buffalo is probably the best chance to get a game where weather and conditions will be a factor.

On the flip side, one advantage for the team is playing in the tough heat and humidity early in the year, but that will be absent this year. All of the September and October home games are in the 4:00 PM window or a night contest. I think this is a fair trade for avoiding the cold weather and to be honest, the heat advantage has been dwindling in recent years.

Quick Hits

• Once again, a fast start seems like a must. The first seven weeks has four home games and a bye week.
• I'm not a fan of the midweek games. You really have to prepare for two games in one week but I guess it's still an equal playing field. Plus you could view it as a mini bye week after that game if things go well.
• I know a lot of people are talking about the toughest schedules and how Miami's is statistically the hardest but I'm not worried about it for several reasons. One, the teams in our division have nearly the same schedule with the exception of two games. Two, last year Pittsburgh had the toughest schedule and they sis pretty well. Baltimore had a tough schedule, nobody expected much out of them, and they did well too. No matter what the schedule is, if you are good, then you will prove it. Finally, after the easiness our schedule proved to be last year, it's only fair that things are much more difficult this year.

We Interrupt This Hibernation

What could be so important that I've awakened from a two month slumber to post about?

The NFL Schedule is being released tomorrow!

I'll be sure to post immediately after it's release all of my way too early thoughts that promises to be better than last year's hard-hitting analysis. The only thing that is remotely interesting is whether the Dolphins will return to prime time after last year's absence. My prediction? Yes, but just once.

The NFL Draft is in 12 days!

It just doesn't have the same anticipation when you aren't picking first and need to hit on a lot of picks to instantly improve your team. Also, at this time last year the Dolphins pick was basically narrowed down to between 3-5 players. This year, I swear I have seen at least 10 players going to the Dolphins in mock drafts and it's possible the actual pick could be someone completely unexpected.

Part of the reasons I haven't been writing is because a lot of my time is going to coauthoring a new Marlins blog. Please check it out.

Offseason: Day. . .Something

It is now the offseason for every NFL team as the Super Bowl was played this past weekend. I won't bore you with many thoughts on that because it is now Tuesday and you've surely heard enough about it. I've been pretty quiet on the blog here since the Dolphins season ended. I've actually had more time to write lately so I'll try to bang out some thoughts on free agency and the draft soon. For now, I'll quickly explain the three areas of most concern (in no particular order)

• Playmakers: On offense there are no real home run hitters. The backs are good but their only huge plays were more due to playcalling and scheming rather than playmaking ability. Ted Ginn could be a playmaker in the deep passing game but when Pennington is your QB you pretty much forfeit that option (I'm not compaining, it's just the truth). On defense, the players and scheme are good, but not enough huge game changing plays are made. When interceptions are made, the returns are short. When sacks are made, fumbles are not. We need to turn a good defense into an outstanding one, and the way to do that is by making huge plays and scores.
• Offensive Line: Last year we did a great job of reworking the line with the additions of Jake Long and Justin Smiley. We need more depth though and a possible reshaping of the interior line. Smiley's injury really hurt us down the stretch as the running game production decreased and Pennington faced constan pressure. Samson Satele had a dropoff in his second year. I'm not sure if he should be replaced or moved to guard, but he needs to be in an open competition with other good players to see if he's the best option. The unrestricted free agency of Vernon Carey is also an issue. I'd love to sign him and keep him at right tackle, but not breaking the bank account. We'll have to see what happens there.
• Coaching Staff: This is all about stability, and the wish is that we don't lose any assistant coaches or coordinators to promotions and jobs with other NFL teams. Whenever you have a good or improving team it's just the reality that you will probably have part of your staff raided (ask Dallas). Luckily it looks like we have survived this for now. Pasqualoni was being mentioned for the Chiefs job (which is still open) and Todd Bowles was a Lions candidate before they settled on Jim Schwartz
  

Divisional Round: Ravens at Titans

Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans
Saturday January 10th, 4:30 PM
Favorite: Titans (-3)

Why the Ravens Will Win: Ed Reed and the Baltimore defense are other-worldly. They simply take over a game and win it all on their own. In the wild card game they were able to frustrate Miami and get them totally out of their element. Not only does the defense hold opponents to low point totals, they set up their offense in good field position and also score themselves. That is tough for opponents to overcome. The Ravens offense is nothing to write home about, but they are able to run the ball when it is needed most, especially late in the game with a lead. Punter Sam Koch is also a huge asset in the field position game.

Why the Titans Will Win: Tennessee is a lot like Miami but better. They run between the tackles better and pose more of a big play threat in the running game. On defense, Albert Haynesworth leads a great run stopping unit and they force turnovers as well. The Titans will be able to get a better pass rush on rookie Joe Flacco and force him into mistakes he didn't make last weekend.

Prediction: Every thing would seem to point to the Ravens, and that's why I will pick the Titans. They play very well at home and will get out to an early lead. That changes things a lot for Baltimore. I also think that Flacco will make one mistake that will set up a field goal or touchdown for the Titans. In the end, that will be the difference.

Titans 20, Ravens 16

Offseason: Day 1

I had forgotten how disappointing it is to lose in the playoffs, no matter the circumstances are. The thing that you always forget, is the finality of it all. Of course you go into every game knowing that if you lose, then that's it, no more games and the season over, but once it happens, it is always a stunning realization. And just like that, we are into day one of the offseason. 2009 will feature another tough set of challenges for the Dolphins, much different than 2008, but still tough. Lofty expectations will return, along with a more difficult schedule, and the fact that Miami is now part of the hunted rather than being the hunter. Here are a few things I will being doing on this blog between now and the beginning of training camp.

• Write-ups About the Top Areas of Concern: Pretty soon, I will explain what I perceive to be the team's areas of most concern going into the offseason. This is not simply a listing of what we need in the draft or free agency, but rather a more in depth look at what the team needs to do to get even better next year.
• Full Coverage of the Free Agency Period: Last year Miami signed several guys on day one and made many moves throughout the offseason. I doubt we will make a similar amount of noise this year, but it will still be an important time to track incoming and outgoing players.*
• Draft Previews: This year will be much different, since we don't have the number one pick, but we still have three selections in the top sixty and nine total selections in the draft. We saw this year what an impact good draft picks can make in the first year and the draft is the most vital component of long term success in this league.
• Other NFL Thoughts: I will also throw in a few posts about general NFL questions and issues. Also stay tuned for playoff game previews and predictions surely to go wrong (even though I managed to go 2-2 this weekend).
  

*I suggest taking a look at a recent post from the Miami Dolphins Spotlight blog by Chris Nelson, who lists all of the Dolphins different types of free agents and briefly explain what each means. The key names to look at are the unrestricted free agents.

Congratulations Baltimore Ravens

I'm too disappointed to write a post of real length but just wanted to say congratulations to the Ravens. They were better today and this year. Great season for the Dolphins and if they keep improving then they will be in great shape for next year. MY pick for the late game by the way is for the Eagles to win 28-17

Wild Card Weekend: Baltimore at Miami

Baltimore Ravens (11-5) @ Miami Dolphins (11-5)
Sunday January 4th, 1:00 PM, CBS
Dolphin Stadium
Favorite: Ravens (-3.5)

In an earlier post I detailed why Miami could win the game so I'll start off this section describing why Baltimore could instead advance. The Ravens defense is awesome. There aren't enough words to accurately depict it's awesomeness. They lead the league in forcing turnovers and frequently dominate games. Because most everybody has the belief that defense wins championships, Baltimore enters this game not only viewed as the favorite but also thought of to be the team that can make a run to the Super Bowl from a wild card spot. Another key in the playoffs is the running game, which is another area where the Ravens excel. The emergence of fullback Le'Ron McClain gives them a bruiser who can get tough yards and help the offensive line dominate the trenches. I just feel though that the Dolphins offense, which led the league in fewest turnovers, will be able to avoid mistakes and on the other side, a rookie quarterback (even though he's a stellar rookie) will make a couple errors.

Pick: Miami 17, Baltimore 16

Wild Card Weekend: Indianapolis at San Diego

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) vs San Diego Chargers (8-8)

Saturday January 3rd, 8:00 PM, NBC
Favorite: Colts (-1)

The Chargers seem to be getting a lot of play from the media as being "the scariest team in the AFC." I understand the reasoning but let's take a look at their four game run to .500% and a division title. They beat a below average Raiders team at home. Then they needed a minor miracle to come back and beat the 2-14 Chiefs. A road win at Tampa Bay looked impressive at the time, but considering the Bucs then lost to the Raiders and finished up losing four in a row, it wasn't that great. The Chargers then of course finished up by beating the fading Broncos at home who were already defeated before the game started. Not to take anything away from the accomplishment, but San Diego still lost eight games, and is a mediocre team. The Colts haven't been dominant in their nine game win streak, but they are doing much of things they did in their Super Bowl run two years ago. The defense is playing better and Peyton Manning is playing more of a manage the game style, rather than compiling gaudy stats. It still earned him the MVP and I like their chances this postseason.

Pick: Indianapolis 28, San Diego 24

Wild Card Weekend: Atlanta at Arizona

Atlanta Falcons (11-5) vs Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
Saturday January 3rd, 4:30 PM, NBC
University of Phoenix Stadium
Favorite: Falcons (-1)

I haven't thought too highly of the Cardinals this year. They have feasted on a week division for six of their nine wins and have not played very well on the road. They also don't have a particularly good defense (19th in YPG and 28th in PPG). For a while, I was fairly certain they would not win a playoff game this season, but as the year went on I began to feel like they might be able to win one at home, depending on the matchup. Atlanta has had an awesome season and an even brighter future. For this game though, I think it will be tough. They have boh a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback, and while those guys have done as good of a job as anybody, it get's significantly more difficult in the playoffs. It would be very wise of the Falcons to grab an early lead and hope that doubt seeps into the Cardinals minds. It will be a long day if they are trying to chase the game and come from behind against the high flying offense of Arizona.

Pick: Arizona 31, Atlanta 24